Clearing pre-installed junk from new laptop

Format, clean install.

Sounds blunt but it is what works.

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7587_102...182976#2182976

for convenience I've copied the part if this I used sucessfully here:

1. Double click on My Computer
2. Double click on C Drive
3. Double click on Program Files
4. Select the Vongo Software folder and press Delete.
5. Close the Window
6. Right click on Recycle Bin folder and select Empty Recycle Bin

This will remove the Software.
Kate: Now, run the Windows Installation Cleanup Utility, this will remove the registry entries for the Software.

You can download the Utility from the given below link:

http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...bd/msicuu2.exe

Note: Please do not click on the link. Copy and paste the complete link in the address bar of the Internet Explorer.

The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility does:

• Provide a dialog box where you can select one or more programs that were installed by Windows Installer. You select the programs on the Installed Products list in the Windows Installer CleanUp dialog box. After you make this selection, the utility removes only the Windows Installer configuration information that is related to those programs.

• Remove the files and registry settings that make up the Windows Installer configuration information for programs that you select.

You do not need to do a clean install if you don't want to. I've successfully cleaned up several hp computers from the junkware for friends and family, both desktop and laptop. Most can be removed normally. Vongo is the exception to this.

It's good if they don't put Vongo on it in the UK. They do here in the US. Glad to be of help.

Dont forget you still have the recovery partition which hog about 10GB or more of your present HDD space... i hate oem softwareeeeeeeeeeeeees!

I was doing some further research and came across this:

http://pcdecrapifier.com/home

I haven't used it so I don't know personally how good it is, but it looks promising.

Ya I had the same problem, I wish the computer company gave you a choice if you wanted their crap programs or not.

How much extra would you be willing to pay for a laptop without preinstalled software? The 'crap' they put in your laptop significantly reduces the price.

Reformatting and a clean install is your best bet.

My previous laptop was using a special code on that partition to prevent to being seen. The only way to find out how much space it used is to look into Administrative Tools>Computer Management>Storage>Disk Management. If you see any third partition that would be the recovery partition. Think the code was 0B or DE and that makes it name EISA on Disk Management, but that's on my Acer laptops anyway. Only way to unlock and get it back is to download a program that can change the partition code so windowsxp installation can detect it, delete that partition and make a new one, also to do clean windows install at the same time.

I used this program to unlock that hidden partition: http://www.goodells.net/dellutility/partparm.htm

For me i need those 10GB back for torrent/gaming storage and i know what to do when comes to install windows, and im not newb to ask the wizard to do the job restore windows plus all those waste/outdated junk softwares than uninstall them agian.

I believe there is a program called "Crap Cleaner" which essentially does what it's aptly named to do: clean all the bloatware crap that manufacturers install. Personally, doing a complete reformat is your best bet!